Luke 13:11 Meaning and Explanation
“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In the synagogue is a woman bent double by a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, unable to straighten herself.
What Does Luke 13:11 Mean?
Among the worshipers is a woman whom affliction has folded in upon herself for eighteen years — a long bondage, a lifetime of looking at the ground. Luke, the physician, records both the bondage and its mark: bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
She has come to worship anyway. Eighteen years had not kept her from the house of God, though she could not so much as look up toward heaven. Scripture honors such unnoticed faithfulness. Her helplessness is stated absolutely — in no wise able — so that what follows will be unmistakably the work of the Lord, who raiseth them that are bowed down (Psalm 146:8).
Luke 13:11 in the Original Language
astheneia (ἀσθένεια), 'infirmity' -- weakness, the absence of strength.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 13:11
What does Luke 13:11 mean?
In the synagogue is a woman bent double by a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, unable to straighten herself.